Taking Questions

Following is the third and final set of responses from Paul LeClerc, the head of the New York Public Library, who answered selected readers’ questions about the library, its services and its future in an era of changing information needs. We are no longer accepting questions for this feature.

How will the library’s book-buying budget be affected by the nationwide and citywide economic downturn? Will it shrink — both in real dollars and as a percentage of the library’s overall budget? If so, by how much, approximately?

— Posted by JT

Depending on the size of the cuts to our budget in the fiscal year that begins on July 1, 2009, it could be very hard to shelter our acquisitions budgets from reductions. If we do have to spend less in this important area, it’s impossible to say just how much less until June, when the city’s new fiscal-year budget is decided.

Why do Queens and Brooklyn have separate library systems? Has there ever been any talk of consolidation?

— Posted by BP

When Brooklyn and Queens were incorporated into New York City more than a century ago — making it a city of five rather than three boroughs — a decision was made to keep the existing system of libraries intact. And so the Brooklyn and Queens library systems continued to be separate and independent, as did our system of three boroughs. That being said, the three systems work closely, amicably and productively together.

How should libraries balance new media versus books, periodicals and documents? Why? Should they be shelved in separate sections or with books? I sometimes think that since new DVDs are readily available for rent, the library shouldn’t purchase them until they are out of easy rental reach.

— Posted by Mark

Sixty percent of the users of our branch libraries come from families where the total family income is less than $50,000 a year. Forcing these customers to rent DVDs, as you suggest, would probably mean that many would not have access to them. Moreover, virtually all public libraries in America have, for some time, circulated DVDs in the same way that they circulate CDs and books: free.

As a soldier deployed to Iraq and a proud New York Public Library borrower, I want to thank you for your eBook lending program, which allows me to take advantage of your collection from 6,000 miles away. Are you looking to expand your electronic-lending program in the near future? How do you weigh the benefits of such a program vis-à-vis book lending?

— Posted by Jonathan

Jonathan, you really made my day! And I thank you. Since we only know that our e-books are being used by cardholders, but not where they happen to be geographically, none of us had been aware that we were serving members of the armed forces in Iraq in this way. Now that I know that we are, I would love to see if we can’t make more of these materials available to your colleagues in Iraq and in Afghanistan.

To answer your two questions: We do intend to expand our e-program substantially, funds permitting, and I think this is a great way of bringing our resources to readers wherever they happen to be. Best of luck to you. Stay safe and thanks for letting me know that the library is being of use to you 6,000 miles away.

When will the St. Agnes Branch Library (82nd Street-Amsterdam Avenue) reopen?

— Posted by fosforos

The St. Agnes branch is scheduled to reopen in late fall 2009. It should be wonderful and, I hope, well worth the wait.

I understand the Donnell Library plan is on indefinite hold because of the worldwide economic collapse. Is there any way the library could withdraw from the agreement with Orient-Express as Orient does not plan to build anytime soon, and instead continue to offer library service at a refurbished Donnell Library?

— Posted by H. M. Chirivas

With regard to the Donnell Library, we appreciate that our users had a fondness and passion for that branch. Donnell, however, had reached a point where it would have needed $50 million of new infrastructure just to continue in service. Users of Donnell are now finding the collections they love in their new homes that provide similar or improved service. For example, we just opened a bright, new Children’s Center on the ground floor of our 42nd Street library, which is being heavily used. Films from the Donnell Media Center have moved to the Library for the Performing Arts where they can be viewed in the context of the related materials that library offers. When our Grand Central Branch opens this spring, it will feature a large area for Teen Central and a range of general collections in a newly designed and built setting. Over the long term, we are moving toward a new Central Library, which I described in a previous answer, one that will provide a depth of resources for all library users.

We share your concern about the difficulties of the current economic climate. However, Orient Express remains committed to delivering our new library building on the original schedule and is working on the design and construction plans.

In order for The New York Public Library to provide strong service in the future, it must adapt and develop with the times. As new services are put in place, we fully anticipate that a new generation of users will develop their own sense of passion and love for the libraries that are part of their lives.

I have a master’s degree in English, and have worked in publishing for the past few years. I am seriously considering shifting careers to become a librarian. Is there a way I can work toward this career at a library while pursuing an M.L.S.? I would love to work for the New York Public Library but am not entirely sure how to go about it. Thanks very much!

— Posted by Anna B

At The New York Public Library, you can indeed work while going to library school, if you already have a bachelor’s degree, which you clearly already possess. We call these library trainee positions, and you can check our Web site intro to see if there any vacancies of this kind that are currently open.

How do you foresee the job market to be for librarians now? What skills do you think are necessary to excel as a librarian?

— Posted by David

The job market for librarians, like just about any other field, will depend on the state of local, regional, national and international economies. In the short term, I expect that many library systems will use hiring controls as a means of absorbing reductions in their budgets.

In order to excel as a librarian, I think that one needs to start with an orientation toward helping people and supplement that with excellent interpersonal skills.

I use the Rose Main Reading Room at the Main Library at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, where the service is unfailingly courteous and knowledgeable. But I have asked more than once why valuable editions are rebound in a manner that is neither attractive nor retains their value, as most recently, in the case of an edition of John Locke’s Two Treatises of Government.

— Posted by Kannan Srinivasan

There was a practice in place many years ago of binding many materials in so-called “library bindings.” We don’t do it anymore, except in unusual circumstances.

How will the current financial crisis affect the existing plans to move the Mid-Manhattan branch to the the new annex of the Fifth Avenue research library? Also, will there ever be a library branch in Battery Park City?

— Posted by Cindy

We will go forward with the big capital project in our historic building at Fifth Avenue as soon as we secure all the financial commitments that we need. And I’m happy to say that there will be a branch in Battery Park City. Subject to our receiving the operating funds we will need, we hope to open it in March 2010.

With so much communication, both scholarly and popular, moving to new platforms such as blogs, online journals not indexed anywhere, etc., where do you see the library’s function as information retrieval resource headed in the next few decades? Where do you think academic and prestigious public libraries should be headed in order to remain vital during this time?

— Posted by Nancy

It’s hard for me to imagine a time when public libraries will not be part of the vital service system of New York City. Many aspects of library service will surely evolve as technologies and forms of information and distribution change. But in a city that will surely continue to be a welcoming new home for substantial numbers of immigrants, and in a city that will continue to be characterized by a broad economic diversity in its population, libraries will need to “be there” for those who simply do not have the means to satisfy their information and educational needs elsewhere.

In addition, we have to remember that libraries are the only indoor communal spaces left in New York. And we know that holding communities together — something that libraries do now and will continue to do — contributes substantially to social cohesion.

Finally, brilliant research collections such as ours will always be relevant to students, writers, and scholars who need to exploit all of our unique collections — manuscripts, archives, and so on — that will not be on the World Wide Web.

There is nothing as valuable in literary research than a collection of books. The group of books written by poets of a particular time period that sit on the shelves of a public library could never be identified by an engine search. Walking up to six or eight books, all members of the same family, belong together and yet, those of us who are from big families, know that each one has every bit as much to offer as the collection itself. What is the future of the collection?

— Posted by julie gillern

Libraries treasure collections above anything else, with the exception of the wonderful staffs who manage them. But without a collection, there is no library, or certainly not one in the conventional sense. You can rest assured that we will always care about the physical collections at the New York Public.

Why are the research library and branch library systems different? I use both of them with relative frequency, but it seems in an age of computerization there should just be one card. Surprisingly, my public library copy card works in both places.

— Posted by Mike

The New York Public’s research and branch systems were independent and autonomous for more than a century. But, under the new strategy adopted 18 months ago, we are merging both into “One NYPL.” By the middle of the new calendar year you will see a unified online catalog for all the collections, as well as one card for both branch and research libraries.

I think you and the New York Public Library should lead the way and join with the other three institutions in acknowledging one of the original Tilden Trustees, Andrew H. Green’s, contributions to the cultural history of our city (and, indeed, the world). Together, you should erect a monument to him or rename a place in his honor. Would you be willing to lead such an effort?

— Posted by Michael Miscione

You make a very valid point. We are presently planning the centennial of our great library building at Fifth Avenue — it will take place in 2011– and my colleagues and I are already doing research on the origins of the library, with particular emphasis on the individuals who created this extraordinary gift to the people of New York, and the world. I will keep Andrew W. Green in mind!

Being a college student (Cornell University) and not having Internet access at home really puts me at a disadvantage on breaks when I need to do school or organizational work. The New York Public Library, at least by me (Pelham Bay Park Branch), has incredibly slow dial-up and really old computers. Not to mention there is a time limit and access limit that just doesn’t help. Are there any plans to fix these things or maybe create some sort of membership rank system?

— Posted by Jonathan R.

You make a very good point, Jonathan. The culprit here is insufficient resources. We would love to upgrade computer stations in many locations but do not have sufficient resources to do all that is needed at this time. What we are experimenting with is letting patrons check out laptops to use wirelessly in our branches. These are available in the library you use. Why don’t you give that a try?

Do you worry that physical libraries will one day be obsolete, replaced by the Internet and other online research mechanisms?

— Posted by Shamik

No, I don’t think that physical libraries will be obsolete, as long as
they keep changing with the times.

How does one go about offering a rare set of photographs for sale of contemporary photographers to the New York Public Library, namely the Wallach collection?

— Posted by Michael Jack

You should write or e-mail the Curator of Photography, Wallach Division of Arts Prints and Photographs, The New York Public Library, Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018.

Why can’t I get even simple, decent, customer service from the New York Public Library? I sent an e-mail to the Jefferson Market Branch last week, and haven’t received ANY kind of response; NOT EVEN a courteous, “Sorry, we don’t know the answer/can’t help you.”

— Posted by RLB

I’m sorry there were problems reaching the staff, but I understand they have been in contact with you, so I’m glad the issue has been resolved.

As someone from a family that makes far less than $50,000 a year, to hear you defend the purchasing of DVDs/CDs, which sometimes comes at the expense of purchasing new books, is rather disheartening. Are you saying we’d rather be watching movies? A lower-income family can afford to rent a few movies a lot more than they can buy a few books. It’s already frustrating that I can watch the movies I want to see in theaters, on DVD (purchased legally, purchased bootleg, or rented from stores or Netflix), on cable (premium and basic), or on broadcast television (which is still free) but many books I want to read are simply not available.

I understand libraries are there to make information available and movies/music are information, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of books, which are available from far fewer outlets.

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